Valtteri Filppula celebrates with the Stanley Cup as the Detroit Red Wings defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals at Mellon Arena, June 4, 2008. David Guralnick, Detroit News

Detroit's Valtteri Filppula leaps over the boards in the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs during preseason action at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Sept. 30, 2011. David Guralnick, Detroit News

New York Islanders center Valtteri Filppula fights for the puck with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Henri Jokiharju during the first period of an NHL game on Tuesday Jan. 22, 2019, in Chicago. Matt Marton, AP

Filppula, 35, was third-round draft pick of the Wings in 2002, and is entering his 15th season in the NHL.

Steve Yzerman believes the signing of Valtteri Filppula will move Andreas Athanasiou back to his customary wing position.(Photo: David Guralnick, Detroit News)

Filppula left the Wings in 2013 to sign as an unrestricted free agent with general manager Steve Yzerman in Tampa Bay.

Now Filppula has done it a second time, with Yzerman, who is now the GM in Detroit.

“It’s always important that you feel like the team wants you,” Filppula said Monday in a teleconference. “I know Steve from before, I had a good relationship with him.

“I’m real excited. Obviously you never know what is going to happen. I had a great time there the first time and I loved the team and city, everything was good that way. It was an easy decision to make, to come back, and I’m really excited for sure.”

Filppula played in 72 games with the New York Islanders last season, with 17 goals and 14 assists and a plus-19 rating.

Filppula gives the Wings versatility, playing either center or wing, and a veteran presence in an increasingly younger lineup.

Yzerman believes Filppula will play center in the current lineup, moving Andreas Athanasiou — who played center the final weeks of last season — back to his customary wing position.

“We had a hole in the middle, we felt, on our roster,” said Yzerman, naming Dylan Larkin, Frans Nielsen and Luke Glendening down the middle, and possibly Jacob de la Rose and Justin Abdelkader, if needed. “We have options but we were looking for someone that can (play center).

“We know he (Athanasiou) played at the end of the season at center, but his natural position is on the wing and it allows us to put him back on the wing. Fil is a good two-way centerman, he can win faceoffs, he can play in all situations.

“We thought we would plug a hole by bringing him in.”

Filppula had several teams interested but basically chose the Wings over returning to the Islanders — although this is a much different Wings team from the one he played on.

“The team is a lot different than it was back then, but there’s still a few guys I played with so that’ll be fun to see those guys again,” Filppula said. “It’s a lot younger roster now.

"(But) the league is really even. Every team plays well. You’re going to have a good chance against anybody. I’ve played against these guys for a while now. I feel like it’s been a tough team to play against and I have some familiar faces, too.”

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Patrik Nemeth waits for a faceoff against the Nashville Predators during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL first-round playoff series Thursday, April 12, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. Mark Humphrey, AP

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Patrik Nemeth pushes Nashville Predators center Colton Sissons out of the way as Avalanche goaltender Jonathan Bernier blocks a shot during the second period in Game 2 of an NHL first-round playoff series Saturday, April 14, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. Mark Humphrey, AP

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Patrik Nemeth controls the puck during the first period of an NHL game against the New York Rangers, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Mary Altaffer, AP

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Patrik Nemeth fights for control of the puck with Pittsburgh Penguins center Derick Brassard in the third period of an NHL game Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018, in Denver. David Zalubowski, AP

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Defense-minded

The Wings also signed Swedish defenseman Patrik Nemeth (2 years, $6 million, $3 million cap hit), adding some stability to a somewhat unsettled position.

Trevor Daley, Jonathan Ericsson and Mike Green are defensemen who are returning from injury-plagued seasons, and all are on the last year of their contracts.

Also, Niklas Kronwall is a veteran defenseman debating whether to return for another season, or retire.

“He’s a strong, solid, defensive defenseman,” Yzerman said of Nemeth. “He kills penalties, defends well, a heavy body, and whether he’s playing with Mike Green or Filip Hronek, he’s going to be a real good partner for that type of player.

“It was important to bring in a defenseman that can play now on the left side and in the future as well.”

Nemeth, a 27-year-old from Sweden, played in 74 games last season in Colorado, with 10 points (one goal, nine assists), and was plus-5, with 53 penalty minutes.

In seven playoff games, Nemeth didn’t register a point, but was a plus-4.

Nemeth has played 250 games in the NHL, with four goals and 35 assists (39 points), is plus-24, with 134 penalty minutes.

Ironically, it was Nemeth who hit Dylan Larkin in a game in December, which led to Anthony Mantha sticking up for Larkin and getting into a fight with Nemeth, and Mantha suffered a broken hand.

Goaltending depth

The Wings signed goaltender Calvin Pickard to a two-year contract worth $1.4 million ($700,000 cap hit).

Pickard, 27, split last season between Philadelphia and Arizona.

Pickard will split the position with prospect Filip Larsson in Grand Rapids.

“We feel with the two goalies we have, if we were to have an injury, we feel the third goaltender position is very important,” Yzerman said. “We wanted to put a goaltender with some experience to partner with Larsson. A guy who is a good leader, high character and a good work ethic, and we believe he (Pickard) fits the bill.

“It gives us a little bit of security for us knowing we have him over the course of the two years. He has NHL experience and he can come up and play games if we need him to do that. He’s proven he can do that.”

Pickard was 4-2-2 in 11 appearances with the Flyers, with a 4.01 goals-against average and .863 save percentage. With Arizona, Pickard was 0-4-0 in six appearances, with a 3.60 GAA and .892 SVS.

For his NHL career, Pickard is 32-50-9 in 87 games, with a 2.93 GAA and .908 SVS.

1. Artemi Panarin, left wing, Columbus: 2018-19 cap hit: $6 million. Arguably the best player on this list. He’s only 27, and there appear to be several big offensive seasons ahead of him. Fantastic stickhandler. Florida, the Rangers and the Islanders appear to be his preferred destinations. Jay LaPrete, AP

2. Matt Duchene, center, Columbus: 2018-19 cap hit: $6 million. The best center on the market, but Duchene has never really scratched his potential. So, that means you could yet be getting the best of him, or paying $9 million per year to a 50-60 point player. All signs point to Duchene going to Nashville or Montreal. Paul Vernon, AP

4. Anders Lee, left wing, N.Y. Islanders: 2018-19 cap hit: $3.75 million: Still would be shocking to see Lee leave the Islanders, but then many felt that last summer with John Tavares. Lee is the Islanders’ captain (so was Tavares) and appears to want to stay. If he leaves, his hometown Minnesota Wild would be a likely destination (hmm, Tavares left for his hometown, Toronto). Frank Franklin II, AP

5. Tyler Myers, defenseman, Winnipeg: 2018-19 cap hit: $5.5 million. Myers regained some of his status as one of NHL’s better defensemen since arriving in Winnipeg, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him re-sign in the final hour. If not, Vancouver seems hellbent on signing the 6-foot-7 Myers. Jeff Roberson, AP

6. Jake Gardiner, defenseman, Toronto: 2018-19 cap hit: $4.5 million. Playing in Toronto wasn’t easy, as every one of Gardiner’s mistakes – and there were plenty – were magnified. The feeling is Gardiner, who is a fine offensive defenseman, will thrive away from Toronto. A lot of teams are interested, and the Wings could be a fit. Michael Dwyer, AP

8. Gustav Nyquist, left wing, San Jose: 2018-19 cap hit: $4.75 million. The former Red Wing could still be returning, but given the amount of teams needing offense, Nyquist will probably get a bigger contract somewhere else. Columbus, Colorado, Chicago and Edmonton have been linked to him. Jeff Chiu, AP

10. Mats Zuccarello, right wing, Dallas: 2018-19 cap hit: $4.5 million. Not a star, but the type of glue guy who helps a team so many ways. Zuccarello would continue being a great fit in Dallas, but it doesn’t look as if that’ll happen. He’ll still have a long list of teams wanting to sign him. Jeff Roberson, AP

11. Micheal Ferland, left wing, Carolina: 2018-19 cap hit: $1.75 million. Ferland is an interesting player. He’s had decent offensive production and plays a tough, power forward game. But he’s hurt a lot. And at age 27, giving him a long-term contract might carry a level of buyer’s remorse later on. Karl B DeBlaker, AP

12. Robin Lehner, goaltender, N.Y. Islanders: 2018-19 cap hit: $1.5 million. Lehner re-established himself as one of the NHL’s better goalies last season, but the problem is, there aren’t many teams in need of starting goalies. It’ll be interesting to watch the market for Lehner. Julio Cortez, AP

14. Patrick Maroon, left wing, St. Louis: 2018-19 cap hit: $1.75 million. Maroon went home to St. Louis on a one-year deal and won a Stanley Cup, along with having an impressive playoffs. Does he stay home, or get a large free-agent deal elsewhere? Dilip Vishwanat, AP

15. Wayne Simmonds, right wing, Nashville: 2018-19 cap hit: $3.975 million. Simmonds didn’t look comfortable once he was dealt at the trade deadline from Philadelphia. He was a huge disappointment in Nashville and his stock hasn’t recovered. At age 30, teams are going to be nervous about giving him a long-term deal. Mark Humphrey, AP

16. Brett Connolly, right wing, Washington: 2018-19 cap hit: $1.5 million. Connolly should probably stay in Washington, where he’s played his best hockey, but the Capitals can’t fit him within their salary cap. Big question mark whether he’d live up to a juicy free-agent contract. Nick Wass, AP

17. Marcus Johansson, left wing, Boston: 2018-19 cap hit: $4.5 million. After an injury-plagued regular season Johansson was fantastic in the playoffs, sparking the Bruins on most nights. He’ll be too expensive for the Bruins, but there are a variety of teams who became believers in Johansson again. Michael Dwyer, AP

18. Joonas Donskoi, right wing, San Jose: 2018-19 cap hit: $832,500. He’s had back-to-back 14-goal seasons, and at age 27, there’s a feeling there could be more there. He’d be a solid addition to a bottom-six forward core, maybe to the Red Wings? Tom Gannam, AP

19. Ryan Dzingel, left wing, Columbus: 2018-19 cap hit: $1.8 million. Didn’t do much in Columbus after being acquired at the trade deadline, and now will be looking for work. But at age 27, Dzingel has proven he’s a capable 20-goal scorer, and he’ll find a team, no problem. Paul Vernon, AP

20. Petr Mrazek, goaltender, Carolina: 2018-19 cap hit: $1.5 million. Resurrected his career with the Hurricanes after cratering with the Red Wings. Mrazek will get another opportunity, if not with the Hurricanes, how about with GM Ken Holland in Edmonton? Charles Krupa, AP